NEXT WEEK'S COVERED CALL CANDIDATES: NE, CLF, AMD, WLL, OAS

Here are my candidates for covered calls next week. Right now, they're based solely on ROC metrics, the key being to get at least a 10% ROC if the shares are called away at the short call strike. Additionally, the focus is on sub 10.00 debit plays; underlyings of higher dollar value are generally more amenable to other strategies.

After looking at the charts, as well as doing some due diligence on the companies, I'll cull the herd ... .

$NE (O&G): Buy shares at 6.21; sell the Sept 30th 6.5 call; 5.85 db; $65 max profit (11% ROC).
$CLF (Mining): Buy shares at 6.09; sell the Sept 30th 6.5 call; 5.75 db; $75 max profit (13% ROC).
$AMD (Semiconductor): Buy shares at 7.62; sell the Sept 30th 8 call; 7.21 db; $79 max profit (11% ROC).
$WLL (O&G): Buy shares at 8.04; sell the Sept 30th 8.5 call; 7.36 db; $114 max profit (15.5% ROC).
$OAS (O&G): Buy shares at 10.27; sell the Sept 30th 11 call; 9.84 db; $116 max profit (11.8% ROC).

Comment:

Think I'm going to scratch AMD off the list. It's at multiyear highs (which really isn't saying much, but I hate buying stuff at the top of the arc).

Comment:

So, there's three possible petro plays. NE's in offshore exploration; WLL's in field exploration, acquisition, and development as is OAS. Both WLL and OAS, for better or worse, are married to shale. For reasons too numerous to mention here, I don't like companies heavily into shale, and I like offshore even less. However, NE's balance sheet looks a whole lot better than that of WLL or OAS (they both stink, hard). So, in the end, it's a toss up between the "sexier" ROC metrics of the WLL play versus the more solid balance sheet of NE. (I'm throwing the OAS overboard, since it's comparable to the WLL play, but involves more buying power for the same approximate max profit).

Comment:

I just hate offshore sooooo much ... . Lol.